The New York Giants weren’t going to sit back and hope their guy fell into their lap. Instead, general manager Joe Schoen got aggressive.
After locking in Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter with the third overall pick, the Giants made a bold move to trade up to the 25th pick and secure Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart.
They sent the 34th overall pick, No. 99, and a 2026 third-rounder to the Houston Texans, putting them in position to draft the quarterback Brian Daboll reportedly preferred all along.
The Value Breakdown and Long-Term Play
On paper, the Giants gave up quite a bit to get back into the first round.
The 25th pick is worth 720 points on the trade value chart, while the 34th (560), 99th (104), and an average third-rounder in 2026 (roughly 170) combine for about 834. That means the Giants slightly overpaid, though they offset it with a conditional third they gained from Xavier McKinney’s departure.
That pick, conveniently enough, gave them the flexibility to make this move and still hold onto the 65th pick early in Round 3.
The big win? They now control Dart’s fifth-year option by grabbing him before the end of the first round.
If Dart needs time to develop — and he probably does — that fifth year could be a safety net. But if he turns out to be the guy, it won’t matter. You keep him long-term regardless.
A Calculated Gamble on High Upside
Dart is coming off a monster season at Ole Miss, completing 69.2% of his passes for 4,276 yards, 29 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
He threw for 1,517 yards and 17 touchdowns on passes 20+ yards downfield alone, hitting on a 42% clip in that range — a trait Daboll covets.
There’s still room for growth, particularly with his decision-making and pocket presence, but the arm talent and athleticism are obvious. He’s a high-upside project that doesn’t need to play right away.
With Russell Wilson under center in 2025, Dart can sit and learn before being handed the reins — an ideal developmental setup.
Giants Secure Present and Future in One Night
Pairing Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart gives the Giants two of the more dynamic talents in the entire draft class.
They get a defensive cornerstone who can disrupt on day one, and a quarterback who may very well be the face of the franchise down the road.
And for once, the Giants didn’t wait for the board to make their decisions — they took control of their future.